The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-25
REPUBLICAN, DEcADErce.
The Pitiable Condition of the Bloody
Shirt and Palsy Party.

| The Pitiable Condition of the Bloody
Shirt and Palsy Party.
The Toledo convention made bad
start for the Republican party in re.
spect to the campaign of 1888 on &C.
count of the weakness of its platform
and the exhibition of a desperate
anxiety on the part of Senator Sher.
man to put himself forward rs an aspi-
rant for the Republican nomination for
the Presidency. The principal busi-
ness of the convention seemed to be
the formulation of a resolution under
which to set forth and enunciate the
Sherman claim to denomination in the
name of the Republican party in Ohio.
The indefatigable Senator was on the
spot, drilling his partisans like very
SuwarrOw on the eve of battle, and lie
succeeded in pushing the resolution
through, Notwithstanding the logged
opposition of Blaine men, who re-
manned steadfast to the fortunes of their
absent chief and sat grimly and sug-
gestively impassive amid the cheers and
the rejoicings of the not very decisive
Sherman majority.
This is in marked contrast with the
harmonious sentiment and action OF
the Democratic convention at Cleve-
land. that, with simple earnestness and
unanimity, Endorsed the general policy
and conduct of President Cleveland s
Administration. But in paying this
tribute to the present Democratic
President, the Cleveland convention
did not neglect its obligation to make
plain statement of principles and
political purpose, so that the people
might make fair estimate of their
fidelity to the doctrines of the party
and the demands of the Nation upon
its central government. At Toledo,
they seem to have considered it about
sufficient to sound the praises of John
Sherman and make a parade of his
pretensions to the Presidency. What
they had to say about questions of
National Importance was so fiimsy and
indefinite as to produce the effect of
prelude to the resolution deliberately
phrased to make a Sherman boom.
The only thing that was strong and
earnest about the Toledo convention
was its enthusiastic denomination OF
Governor Foraker, and, no doubt, there
will be lively contest between him
and the comparatively young and Wig
orous Gubernatorial candidate of the
Democracy.
But what have the Republican State
conventions to proclaim in the matter
of principle relating to National af-
fairs? There is not one point of van
tage that they hold in present politics
by virtue of their antecedents or their
record. After a quarter of century
of supremacy in central government.
they have left to Democratic Admin
istration the task of saving the public
lands from the clutch of spectators,
railroad corporations and foreign sym
dictates, and holding what is left of
them for the use and occupancy of the
actual settler. At this late day, and in
the face of President Cleveland's ring
ing declaration of the National policy
upon that subject, the Republicans can
hardly give that issue any prominence
in their repertory. AS to honesty and
in the administration of pub
lie affairs, it is enough that the people
have had two years experience of
sound Democratic government to con-
trast with as many decades of Repub-
lican corruption and misrule. The
State conventions will have
to occupy themselves chiefly with the
glorification of Sherman or Blaine,
for, with the exception of some little
by-play with the shirt and an interlude
of juggling with the palsies, there is
else for them to do.-N T.
NeUS.